BY MASSES OF ICE. 411 



a kind of quicksand, and saw the land as before, 

 except that a high point was now visible to the 

 south-west, which seemed to mark it as an island. 

 To the north and west, nothing but ice presented 

 itself to the view; but due east, I could distin- 

 guish open water and a small island. South- 

 ward, the drift ice appeared in every quarter; and 

 the wind, which had got a few points to the west- 

 ward, had already driven it close into the shore. 

 To employ the people, they were sent in search 

 of fern or moss for fuel ; but though they went 

 different ways to the distance of ten miles, their 

 labour was fruitless, for they returned at night 

 without a single particle. 



At £ p.m. it began to rain violently, and con- 

 tinued to do so without the slightest cessation 

 until noon the following day (August 10th), 

 when it was succeeded by a fog. Meantime a 

 great part of the ice had disappeared, and the 

 boat was soon laden and pulled to the island; but 

 there being no channel, by which we could pro- 

 ceed westerly, owing to the heavy masses wedged 

 against the shore, we made a portage, and launched 

 the boat across. The sand-banks were found to 

 run out several hundred yards, and the ice to 

 seaward, being packed apparently by a westerly 

 current, had forced the lighter pieces on shore; 

 which, together with the shoals, embarrassed us 

 beyond measure: however, by pushing some 



